Il Gusto di XINGE

Meet Xin Ge Liu: The Visionary Behind Florence’s Fashion-Forward Chinese Restaurant

"My restaurant began as a tiny takeaway for dim sum and dumplings, when many locals didn’t even know what they were, and it’s grown into a fashion-forward space where mood boards and my grandmother’s recipes meet a repertoire of mainly Cantonese and Hong Kong dishes. I’m not trying to cook for everyone in conservative Florence; I just want my crowd, and we’ve found it. The experience here should feel like traveling, with hospitality that’s sensorial and considered—think small gestures like a yuzu-and-essential-oil tea to set the tone—bringing style and innovation to a city that doesn’t often see it." - Laura Rysman